Future Career Plans: Internships and Research

This week we’re all sharing our different experiences with everything related to internships, jobs, and life after college. For the past couple summers, I have been in summer school trying to make progress towards completing my double major. This past summer, I started working on a research project because I’m looking to go into a PhD program, so I wanted to get some experience for that next step in my career. Although I am a Physics and Computer Science major, I am actually working in a Materials Science lab, working on RF (radio frequency) coil and eddy current imaging for the non-destructive evaluation of composite parts. Basically, we use a sensor that creates a magnetic field and checks the change in that magnetic field caused by various materials moving in front of it. A problem in the composite (backing paper left in, a crack/bump, etc.) will cause a change in magnetic field and be picked up by the sensor. Now, we are working more on the science behind how the sensor works and what exactly it can detect. This experience translating science into practical uses will be very useful for grad school!

A Fourier Transform of the signal received from our sensor when moving over a test sample!

As much as I’m enjoying doing research, I’m really curious to see what it would be like to work in industry as well, so this fall I’m looking to try and get a Computer Science internship for next summer. So far I’ve been applying everywhere and anywhere I can think of, and am just beginning to start the interview process for some companies. My main strategy to get an internship for next year is to attach a face to the resume that I’ve submitted online. I’ll do this by going to the Viterbi Career Fair to talk with representatives of some of the companies I’ve applied to, and hopefully learn about some other companies to apply to. I’m also attending the Grace Hopper Conference in Houston this year, which is a conference focused on women in technology. I’ll also be meeting with some companies there and am really looking forward to the networking opportunities.

One of many hall floors at Grace Hopper with many companies represented!

Hopefully I’ll have some good news to share about my plans for next summer in a couple months. Have a good week!